A leading voice in Yorubaland, the Yoruba Global Alliance (YGA), has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of playing double standard over the issue of insecurity across the country.
YGA stated this in response to a recent report that the Katsina State government was granted permission to equip its security outfit with sophisticated arms, including Ak47, while denying same for other states of the federation.
The group, in release by its Director of Communications, Taju Tijani, said it was dismayed by what it described as the blatant ‘exceptionalism’ still being displayed by the Buhari administration.
YGA stated in the release that the president’s claim to integrity and national cohesion without fully living up to these virtues are more pronounced with the preferential treatment given to his home state, to the exclusion of others.
It accused the president of nepotism, adding that the policy of exclusion was highly capable of further polarizing the country, its claim to federalism notwithstanding.
“News had it that, earlier this month, the Katsina State government announced its plan to recruit 3,000 individuals into its Special Vigilante Corps to combat terrorism in the state.
“No fewer than 600 have been trained in the usage of sophisticated weapons, including Ak47.
“We at the Yoruba Global Alliance condemn unequivocally this nepotistic and highly polarizing policy in a nation governed by federalism,” YGA stated.
Tijani said the South Western Security Network, SWSN (Amotekun), was created to offer security for Yorubaland.
“It came into existence due to persistent, reckless, and murderous activities of Fulani herdsmen who have become an existential threat in Yoruba land.
“Amotekun opened a pandora box of deception and the crisis of our coexistence.
“The South-West leaders specifically asked the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to allow Amotekun operatives bear arms but were denied.
“It became a contentious issue between the Northern Caliphate and the South-West. Till date that outfit is denied that mandatory necessity,” he added.
He recalled the furore over the creation of Amotekun and “the Caliphate’s bulldog reaction to its existence”, noting that it “was a clear demonstration of their unhidden agenda to keep South-Western Nigeria under perpetual captivity, slavery and domination.
“The brouhaha that trailed Amotekun also brought into sharp focus the polemical resistance to the idea of Yoruba collective security and protection. Amotekun was perceived as disservice to our unity.”
He recollected a statement by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Malam Abubakar Malami, which declared Amotekun as an illegal security outfit.
“His rebranding of Amotekun as an illegal structure generated a measure of scorn, anger, and derision worldwide,” Tijani said.
The Yoruba Global Alliance condemned President Buhari’s alleged “partisan and bigoted politics of allowing identarian right to his home state of Katsina by arming the Special Vigilante Corps with sophisticated weapons but denying the other states of the federation same right.
“What is good for the goose should automatically be good for gander.
“This self-perpetuating political impunity could lead to other states of the federation arming their security outfits illegally which may lead to uncontrolled arms proliferation in the country.”
The group warned that the partisan and polarizing tactics of the president in handling of the issue may force other states to go underground, and with dire consequences.
“As President Buhari navigates the throes of his last leg as leader of this country, justice, equity and balance should be his legacy and not a polarizing tactics that serves to set us apart.
“We in the Yoruba Global Alliance therefore demand an immediate issuance of licence for Amotekun and other security outfits to bear arms to defend their people as is the case in Katsina State,” he added.
He said it is also expected of President Buhari to send, without any further delay, a Bill to the National Assembly or invoke, an Executive Order for the establishment of state and local government police.
This, Tijani said, would be in tandem with the position of all the states, all traditional rulers and the National Assembly who have all agreed on the issue.
